Rules of Engagement
by fibita
Summary: Someone from Auggie's past comes to stir up DPD's inter-agency policies. And to make Annie question her true feelings for him.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a very crazy idea that I came up with after a watching Season 1 of Covert Affairs non-stop. It sort of serves as a prequel for the Avengers fanfic, but it could be read & understood separately (I think.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mockingbird, Avengers, Covert Affairs, Auggie, Annie or anything else.**

**Update: Thanks for the reviews! I've rewritten a bit of the last part to make more clear who's talking to who. Keep reviewing, I'd love to hear from you!**

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******Chapter 1: Allen's**

Allen's was packed with people, loud, noisy. Beers here and there. The usual sophomore college brats trying to score with the suits, to have their own Bond girl's fantasies fulfilled. If they only knew that half of those suits worked 9 to 5 schedules in some boring law firm and just pretended to be secretive and charming to score...

You had 3 types of people in the pub: the sophomores, the suits and the after-office buds that just wanted to blow off some steam. Contrary to people's beliefs, the secret agents were mostly among these folks, not the suited up and playing cool by the bar. It was the strangely fit geeks that were doing beer racing matches and playing darts in the back the ones with the Bond's lives.

If the sophomores only knew how hard these people's life really was they would take off their kitten hills and run for their lives. _Quite literally._

But it wasn't the case. And some took advantage of it. Case and point: _Auggie Anderson_.

Annie had lost track of how many girls had taken him home in the last two years of being together - working together is more like it. He had this ability of _eyeing, _hovering at any chick in the room, focus his attention solely to her and somehow in the next 30 minutes she'd be sitting at their table. They even had a code for Annie to take off when he wanted privacy. It was a wing-woman kind of thing.

They had codes for everything these days. They even had one to scram when a jerk or a bimbo was obnoxiously trying to get their attention. Auggie particularly enjoyed those times when he could pretend there was more to them than what was out there.

They were much in tune, they didn't need to complete each other sentence's and make obvious remarks to one another, but in some level they _knew_. They were connected in a level that not many people understood. Most just read it as sexual tension or brotherly/sisterly bond, but it was much more than that.

Unfortunately, they hadn't quite picked on it. At least Annie hadn't.

So until she would, he had two choices: wait sitting until his blond would see him for the man he was, for the guy that was always there for her, holding her hand, cheering her, watching her back. Or, he could continue in this trend of mindless one night stands.

He tried to be charming with Annie, she thought he was joking. Then he tried the "I wanna be alone for a while" approach, but she thought it was a pose.

He was starting to think he needed to pick up his game. Or give Annie up entirely. Leave Annie Walker as the all american next door girl's fantasy he'll never be able to fulfill.

But she was so much more than that. She wasn't a fantasy. She was so real. Her laughter, her humor, her boldness in the field (who had him worried more often than not). The fact that she saw past his blindness, that she took him for who he was, not the blind guy in tech. They had an instant connection that kept on growing. He only hope she'd see that before it was too late.

He took another zip of beer and scouted around. A scent came clearer than the rest. Table next to them. He moved his head involuntary to the perfume coming from the table and back to Annie, and she snorted.

"I knew you were gonna pick her, I'm starting to get your traits Mr. Anderson!"

"I'd say it was about time Ms. Walker. Brief me in." Annie looked at the now self-conscious red-haired on the next table. Heels, hair to the side, playing with her necklace. _Acting_ demure. Shoulders standing behind, crossed legs. Sexual invitation. Everything about this young woman was yelling "take me now", and considering the several glances towards Auggie's direction, Annie had a feeling he wouldn't sleep alone tonight. Or sleep at all.

And then the red-haired looked at her. For a second their eyes met. Something wasn't right. The young woman picked her phone and texted something quickly. She seemed more interested in their conversation than in whatever the legal department people she was sitting with was telling her.

"Well, she's red-haired, 5'4", clean dress, kitty heels, broad smile." Auggie wasn't buying it. "What is it?"

Annie cleared her throat and clenched her teeth, something was off. She knew those looks. She knew that hair flip. And she knew how to make contact with a mark, make them interested enough for them to make the first move. She knew how to do that long before the Farm. This woman had been at the office for four days now, enough time to study a mark. Enough time to make a first contact.

Annie thought she may be overreacting. The farm rewires your brain and makes you see everyone as a potential threat, as a mark. But maybe she wasn't, maybe this red haired was just a new girl from legal that is trying to fit in. And she probably heard about Auggie and is intrigued. Hell, even Annie was intrigued. "She's talking to the legal folks, I guess she's new?"

"Legal? No one in legal would use _Havana Pour Elle_. She could be bureau." He knew the red haired's perfume screamed agent, not asset. Definitely not _legal aid_. Inter departmental spying, just look at that.

"She's too clean to be bureau. But she keeps on eyeing you, I guess your fame precedes you and reached all the way to legal"

"Hey! I resent that!" she giggled into her now empty glass of beer. "run out of beer, bummer"

Auggie was suddenly excited "So, should I play her tune? See where that goes?" Annie casually looked at her and the red-haired looked away. She was getting nervous. Why would girl from legal get nervous? Inter departmental spying with newbies? "Do you want to pull another Liza?"

"You really don't like her, do you?" She didn't. Something about her whole projection of a demure girl didn't add up. Annie made the conscious decision of "Auggie-ing" the room as she called it.

She focused her attention entirely on her red-haired mark while Auggie kept on discussing mindless things. The red-haired Rs were slightly dental. The more Annie focused on the red haired, the more nervous she got, and her Rs got worse, sloppy. Accent. _Russian. _

Could she be working for Tash's former employees? Could she be after Auggie? See if he had kept in touch with his ex? Was he at risk? Why pretend to be in legal? Nah, she had to be a mole. And Auggie was her mark, her way in. She was after intel.

"I think I forgot those papers at my desk. Joan's gonna kill me if I don't get them to her first thing in the morning" So, she used the "_Need to talk to Joan" _line, there was something definitely off about this girl. He wanted to follow the lead and see what the red haired wanted to get from him. But Annie just picked on something else and probably wouldn't let him.

"Well, what if we do one more round and I take you home?" His charming smile and sexual innuendo went amiss on his audience. "Sure, why not? If I get boozed up to home again Dani's gonna kill me" and there was no way she was to leave Auggie alone knowing he was someone's mark.

He beamed at her and raised his hand to the waitress, who just nodded at him. She was clearly new, and missed his white can. "Could you bring us another jar? And 3 shots?" she said a quiet _Yes_ and started to walk away when he grabbed her by her arm. "Thanks Lois"

"Three shots?" Annie was puzzled. The waitress half smiled "There's no surprising you, is there Clark?" His smile broaden towards the waitress while he brushed her arm slowly. That was "Leave Us Alone Sign #1".

"Clark?" Annie didn't like not being on the joke. At all.

Auggie moved towards Annie's voice and then back to the waitress "It's a long story. So, waitress? Weren't you in Shanghai saving lives?"

The waitress repressed a snort "That's a stretch. Plus, you know I've been back for 2 months now." Annie went from one to the other. The looks, the touch, the familiarity... _So these two have a history... The plot thickens!_

The waitress leaned slightly "I do have other tables to serve Augs, I'll leave you guys to your _companionship scouting_, nice to meet you Annie. I'll get your beers right away" Something in the phrasing tipped off Augs. His posture changed slightly for a second. Annie may have missed it if she wouldn't have had farm training. Game was on.

She looked at the waitress walking away and saw a distinct frown on the red-haired. The young woman was eyeing the waitress coldly, and texted again. Annie's eyes met hers and the demure facade was gone. The red haired grabbed her purse, nodded at her table co-workers and took off, bumping slightly on the waitress.

"Where do you know this Lois from Augs? How come she knows who I am?" Auggie looked at her in disbelief. "I think she's the red-haired's handler" Auggie didn't seem surprised.

"She may as well be" _Lois_ as he called her brought them the beers and shots, leaving them near Auggie. He moved his hand slowly until he reached them, placing one in front of Annie, grabbing one for himself and setting the third on the empty chair next to him, right where their waitress was standing "I'm working Augs"

He talked towards her voice. His eyes may not see, but they were commanding the waitress to sit down "Sure, and now you're taking a break. Sit."

"You're bossy today. With that kind of attitude you're gonna be a lonely old grumpy man, you know" She sat anyway, held her tray over her legs and nodded at the main bartender who nodded back. "Well, I'm sure someone will keep me company"

Annie couldn't restrain her comment "I'm sure of that" _Lois_ looked at Annie and then back to their common friend.

Annie figured they looked alike. The waitress had darker hair yes, but the same small but sturdy complexion, tall... She had blue eyes though. She seemed relaxed around Auggie. Annie attributed this to his ability of giving calmed but direct orders without you noticing until you had done whatever it was he wanted you to do.

"It's been a long time Nell" the waitress' eyes got cloudy for a moment but then went back to smiling at him, staring at his. Annie was sure he could see her in his head. "Not that long, what is two years in our line of work?" Without realizing, he brushed her cheek with his hand and moved a lock of her hair to the back of her ear. It was a very soft gesture, it wasn't rehersed, it wasn't a signal. The waitress was the real thing. Annie shifted positions in her chair, something was suddenly upsetting her.

Auggie didn't seem to pick on her. He spoke, still talking to the waitress' voice.

"A lifetime?" she snorted and disregarded him, looking at Annie. "We hadn't been properly introduced," she extended her hand towards Annie and they shook firmly but amicably. Her tone was all business but Annie could see that her eyes were saying a complete different story. And so were Auggie's. "I'm Penelope Morse, an old friend of Auggie's. He talks about you all the time. That's how I knew you were Annie."

That comment made her a bit warmer on the inside. He talked about her all the time. "And I'm guessing waiting tables is not your day job"

The waitress half smiled "On occasion it is. A lot less stressful than handling patients."

Auggie raised his hand when she said _handling_. "She's a doctor. For real, don't let the _handling_ fool you. And smell that? That's her perfume. No one under 50 years old uses that perfume, except her. No one on a waitress salary could afford that perfume."

"Right. I knew I shouldn't have used it. But heck, habits gives us away." She was beaming at him, showing a small dimple on her cheek. He moved his left hand towards hers and they locked fingers. That _was_ sign #2.

"Why do I have the feeling you _wanted_ to be given away?" She just smiled and took the shot in one quick zip. "I have other tables to wait on, I don't wanna loose this gig. How could I ever afford my perfume?" She nodded at Annie while getting up. Then she realized they were holding hands, looked at Annie and then at their common friend. Auggie and the waitress shared an accomplice giggle, then the waitress pressed his hand and let it go.

They shared a giggle. The kind of giggle he only shared with Annie. Annie twitched in her seat again. A sudden rush covered her senses but went away too quickly to be dwelt upon. It was foolish, she had had too much to drink already.

"10 years later and you still have the locked fingers signal for your wing woman? Auggie, please, catch up with modern times sweetheart" she kissed him on the top of his head, patted on his shoulder and took off. That last gesture from the waitress threw her off. She wanted in the joke, fast.

"Ok, she's gone. Spill." Auggie sat back on his chair and realized the other perfume wasn't around anymore. "What happened with our little legal red?"

"She scrammed. I need to report it."

"I don't think we'll have to. Not if Nell is here. The red haired is either her agent or her mark." He zipped his last beer slowly.

"You mean your friend works in the company?" Annie had never seen her before. Maybe she was one of the ghost agents, or in deep cover. But why would she expose herself as a waitress, in Allen's of all places?

"Not ours. But not... foreign either. It's complicated."

"How complicated?" He took a deep breath, he didn't want to explain. It showed. He got the briefing tone he always had when running her through the details of an ops.

"3 levels above either of our clearances complicated." Annie made an _ohh_ noise. _That company_. The one blacked out on every paper, the one with the long name that seemed too boring to be real.

Allen's was to be opened for another hour and Annie had the feeling he'd stay until Lois/Nella was done. She decided to relax, but she still wasn't sure she wanted to leave Auggie alone, not even with a black ops operative.

She leaned on her chair "So, 10 years huh? I wanna hear that story"

He leaned on the table nearer her "Oh do stay around, I'm sure you will soon enough. Nell _loves _telling that story"


	2. Chapter 2

**This is a very crazy idea that I came up with after a watching Season 1 of Covert Affairs non-stop. It sort of serves as a prequel for the Avengers fanfic (_No more secrets_ under my stories), but it could be read & understood separately (I think.)**

**I can't believe the amount of views this story had in one day, thank you so much for taking an interest!**

**And also thanks for the reviews, keep'em coming! They help in tuning my Auggie/Annie and keep it real.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mockingbird, Avengers, Covert Affairs, Auggie, Annie or anything else.**

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**Chapter 2: Chess match**

Annie could feel the long hours and the tequila shots taking a toll on her body and her mind. She needed to stay alert for Auggie. Her friend, the one person that had always been there for her had turned into someone's mark and she wasn't about to leave him stranded.

She was still unsure of the waitress back story or to which tune she was singing to these days. Auggie hadn't seen her in two years. Anyone's life can be turned upside down over and over during that time, she was a walking proof of that.

Anyone could be turned in that time. Even the dreamy-lovey looking waitress that seemed to have been Auggie's wing woman back when he could see and not just hover. Back when his life was completely different. Still... the way they linked, the way he caressed her cheek and moved that bit of hair behind her ear, that meant something. She was around after it happened, she stayed around, she was the real deal.

Could it be possible that she was the one big secret love Auggie was keeping from her? Until an hour ago she thought there had only been Natasha, but heck, this was different. He was a big boy. He had broken his fair share of hearts, she was sure. But there was heartache in him, maybe this was it. Maybe it hadn't been just Tasha.

That stupid rushed feeling in her chest again. That quick pounding and anxiety coming from nowhere. No, not nowhere. She knew where it was coming from. And no, it wasn't the beer. Of course it was the beer. _Well, it will be the beer's fault in the morning. _

Auggie wasn't Annie's property, he was her friend. Her dear, dear friend that deserved a break.

Compartmentalization: farm 2.0.1. She closed her feelings in a box, and left only the Agent Walker within now, telling her to assess this female, this potential mark. They had had a potential mole not two hours ago and now she was here. Annie Walker wasn't prone to believe in coincidences. Agent Walker wasn't allowed to.

She looked at the way the waitress was wrapping up the tables and how she had talked big Carl into letting them stay while she and the other waiter wrapped up the place. She was thorough in cleaning the tables. Aligning the seats. Refilling the salter. She was methodical, exact, focused. And then she flipped her hair to the side and laughed wholeheartedly at some comment Auggie made about a crazy frat party on spring break.

They did go way back, didn't they? No matter how much she tried, she couldn't picture a young adult August Anderson. She imagined he was as charming as now, but with even more intense eyes, his broad shoulders were probably there, though no so fit. His tattoo... No, that was from his soldier's days. She wondered if his sense of duty was already there or if it kicked in at some point between frat parties.

Annie realized that in a second the waitress had managed to sneak up 3 shots right in front of them "You now Ms. Walker, this guy right here was all in for body shots back in the day. You should've seen all the ladies in line just to get a taste" she drank the shot quickly and kissed his cheek

"Gosh I've missed you Augs" his eyes weren't conceited or full of himself anymore. His expression changed from playful to something else entirely. Something she had seen only a very few times, in a train when Natasha was walking out of his life and towards herself "I've missed you too Elle" he brushed her arm slowly. Was that sign #3? No, but that was the third different nickname he used on her. And this one seemed to truly get to her. _Uh oh. I guess I'll have to do the boozed up walk of shame at home after all._

"Well, you and Annie should come visit then." You _and Annie. Putting distance from the nickname. I would've done that too. Wait, "You and Annie"? _

Did that mean something? Was the waitress trying to imply some romantic interest between them? Or was she trying to lower agent Walker's tingly spy-dy sense?

"I'm located in NY again, it's just a 4 hour ride. Well, 3.25 if you don't mind much about state traffic laws"

Annie didn't. She was a heck of a driver. Auggie said so sounding proudly. Annie's anxiety inside her chest lightened up when hearing his proud tone, the way he said "Annie". She shook her head slightly. She had to work on her compartmentalization, darn it. It didn't matter how many beers and shots she had on her or how long ago she had woken up that day, she was protecting Auggie now. She had to. She didn't feel safe yet. The red haired was still around, she could feel it.

Annie looked at the waitress again, who was taking off her apron and leaving it on a bar stool. She was slightly puzzled to see someone from his past so similar to her. The waitress had her same loosen blond hair though slightly darker, her broad shoulders, her small steps, her long legs, quick comebacks, loud laughter with a bit of snorting and several amounts of sarcasm.

Annie wasn't Auggie's best friend as she always thought. She suddenly felt she was filling in for the waitress.

"Penny for your thoughts Ms. Walker?" Auggie's hand brushed her arm and then stayed in the now familiar corner of her elbow. "I was just looking at your friend"

He sighed "She's a mark too? Annie, she's not. I can get her credentials checked if that'll help you sleep at night."

"What? No hot coco and laughing at the TV tonight?"

"It's 2 am already"

"Oh, right. Your real best friend showed up. Okay then, I'll go sit on the sideline" She had no idea where this was coming from. Yes she did, _it was the beer's fault._

_Juvenile Annie Walker_ would fit right into all the frat parties' memories. He brushed her forearm in a soothing way. She hated he could do that. She hated even more that he knew that it would calm her down.

He wished he could see her face right now. He could hear her breath increasing, and the side of her body was agitated. Could it be possible? Was this the break he has been waiting for? He had to put it to a test "You better watch yourself Ms. Walker, or you'll start sounding like a scorned wife"

"Oh do I now?" The waitress smiled at her from the tables on the other side and headed to the restrooms in the back.

"I'm gonna go powder my nose" Annie let go of his grasp and he called on her while she was walking away "Don't exchange perfumes in there. I'll be here, all alone. Easy mark. You better hurry Ms. Walker, before Red Riding Hood comes to eat me up" She half grinned at him and saved the obvious sex joke for later.

When she opened the bathroom door, she found the waitress waiting for her, arms crossed over her chest.

"I take it you wanna talk"

"Who are you?" the waitress uncrossed her arms, and got a card from her skirt pocket, handing it over.

"Dr. Penelope Morse. Agent 19, Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. I am a doctor there. Surgeon, top of my class. Recently received a commendation from the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine." Annie nodded, that wasn't what she was meaning to ask. The waitress knew.

"But you still don't trust me. I wouldn't trust me either, trust me. But you trust Auggie. And so do I" the waitress came closer to her, leveled up. "So ask away"

"Why couldn't you just call him on the phone?"

"Because I'm in the middle of a covert"

"And you decided to skip protocol and banter with an old fling?"

"He's not an old fling. He's an old friend." Annie raised her eyebrow "You know, I do that eyebrow thing too." Annie looked down to the card for a second.

"So let's cut to the chase, shall we? I'm a friendly asset, not a potential risk. I would never let anything happen to Auggie if I can help it."

"And that's why you're here. Keeping the red haired away?"

"I don't know what you're talking about" they shared a half smile.

Auggie talked from the restroom door "She means that obvious new agent that's posing as a legal aid."

The waitress walked closer to him and grabbed his arm, not the other way around. She didn't mean to walk, it was a possessive gesture. Annie recognized it, she did it all the time at the office. Damn those thoughts again.

"I think your taste in women is improving Auggie, I like this one" Annie started saying something like _whattheheck _but stopped when Auggie talked.

"My dearest Dr. Morse, Annie is my friend. My best friend in fact, you've been busy learning traditional chinese medicine in Shanghai."

His best friend. Annie liked the title. She found herself with those crazy unnecessary and inconvenient thoughts again. And then something in the back of her head clicked "Wait, Shanghai two months ago?" The waitress relinquished Auggie's arm and took a step forward, leading the way while she half smiled at her.

Annie remembered what happened then. Big operation broke off all over the news around 3 months ago. A conglomerate of human trafficking groups based on Shanghai had been turned upside down, apparently from within. It was huge, and no other agency had taken ownership. It was labeled as a _Multi-national effort, _which in reality meant _3 levels above our clearance_. The long and hard to remember division she was part of no doubt. She was black ops.

"Your new best friend here can lead you in then. By the way, that hurts my feelings Auggie… After everything we've been through" She was mocking him of course, playing him on his own turf. Annie needed to start taking notes from this chick.

And right there she realized that agent Walker was gone for the day and that she was only Annie, willing to hear stories about her friend Auggie. Agent Walker was sound asleep believing this woman's words: She wouldn't let _anything_ happen to Auggie.

A little part of Annie wished she wasn't wrong about Penelope. Auggie meant too much too her to be reckless. But how much exactly? In what way? Damn beer talking. Yeah, the _beer. Keep lying to yourself._

Annie placed Auggie's hand in her forearm and started walking at Penelope's speed, with Auggie between them.

"I can't wait to hear those stories about a young and green August Anderson" The blonds shared a smile and Auggie felt a small hand on his free arm. He gestured the main bartender and he chuckled hard at him "Way to go Auggie, I want my waitress in one piece tomorrow, you hear?"

"I wouldn't miss it Kurt, biggest tips of the week"

Auggie spoke secretively at Penelope "So I'll find you here tomorrow?" Penelope kissed his cheek, grabbed her big handbag and opened the door of the pub slowly. She and Annie started checking the street, windows and general area for potential unfriendly folks. They shared a nod when they were satisfied.

"I'll take it you're going to his place as a safety precaution" Annie nodded.

"Actually, she's afraid of her sister lecturing her about getting at 2 am drunk as a pirate" Annie hit him on the back of his head, in a very childish gesture and Penelope couldn't help but giggle.

Auggie cleared his throat and decided to ignore Annie's sudden aggression "You hadn't answered my question Nell" she tilted her head to the right a bit, then looked at Annie and she nodded. It was okay, Annie could use the backup.

"I was hoping for a late night of chess actually" Auggie smiled.

"My two favorite blonds in a chess match, I can't wait to see it. Well, hear it" Annie breathed out heavily restraining a snort and Penelope picked what she meant right away.

Auggie chukled and hailed a cab "Right, you've been playing that for 2 hours now. Who's winning?"


	3. Chapter 3

**I am incredibly sorry for taking over 3 months to update this fanfic! My head's been packed with other stories and the season (3) finale was a bit disappointing (sorry if you disagree!), so I wasn't quite sure how to go on with this one. **

**But well, it's here now!**

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**Chapter 3: Awkward**

Auggie woke up with a throbbing headache and one hell of a neck pain. It took him a moment to realize where he was or who he had sleeping over his shoulder. The sofa wasn't remotely comfortable for one person to sleep in, it was incredibly worse when you had an incredible hangover and you just passed out sitting down with your best friend by your side.

Yes, it was Nell. He didn't realize how much he missed her until he smelled her perfume the night before. For a moment he thought he was hallucinating, that the odd night was taking him to a different place, but no, she was there.

He brushed her arm slowly and gave little kisses to the top of her head "Miss Lane, wake up" a low whiny moan let him know that she was awake and in much pain as he was.

She opened her eyes and saw him, sighing with a smile in her face. "Hey Mr. Kent" and then she remembered why they were in the sofa. By the time they reached Auggie's flat, Annie was practically passed out, and no, she wasn't faking it. They left her the bed and catch up in the sofa, drifting off at some point of the night.

"Is your neck as screwed up as mine Mr. Kent?" he reached to hers and started massaging her nape slowly, sending shivers through her spine. As the minutes passed them, his hands started moving through her back and she could feel his breathing near her ear.

She cleared her throat remembering they weren't alone and that it wasn't three years ago anymore. His hands went back to massaging her nape as he moved a step back. She whispered, "So would Annie be Lana Lang? Actually, I'd be Lana Lang and she'd be Lois, right?"

He laughed slowly "You hate Lana Lang. No, you're Lois. She's… something else" Penelope was glad for once that he couldn't see her face, but he still picked on her skipped heartbeat "You'll always be my Lois, Nell. No matter what"

"Well, I wanna be best man when you two kids marry" he snorted "Now you're very good at deviation. You should teach that at the farm"

She sighed getting up "I'm sure it could be arranged". She peeked and walked towards the counter, turning the coffee maker on. She crossed her arms over her chest and stretched her neck to the sides.

He got up and followed her, reaching for 2 mugs. "Take 3, we need to wake up Annie" she took one of the mugs and poured coffee. "There's milk in the fridge"

"So she likes lattes too? Does she take 2 sugars as well?" she snorted. Auggie shrugged his shoulders as a response "So, except for our college choices, Annie and I are pretty much the same person. I'm not sure if I feel honored or slightly disturbed"

He snorted "You'd never wear her heels, that's for sure" she handed him over Annie's mug and told him she'd stay around the kitchen to give them some space.

He took a deep breath "Nell, nothing's happening here. She's hooked up with some weird dude. Not gonna happen in a million years" she came closer to him "You know, as I recall you shouldn't bet against my spider sense Mr. Anderson. You tend to lose" He smiled remembering that bet and then cleared his throat. Annie was here. They needed to go to work.

The red haired from legal aid, right.

"So, who's the red haired?" She cleared her throat "Her coffee is gonna get cold Augs, go wake her up" she turned around to look for some crackers and he brushed his hand on the side of her tummy. Shivers again, damn it. "Augs…" It was a warning tone.

"Tell me later then?" She nodded and then gave him a quiet yes. "You've heard of her, you just don't remember"

He walked towards the bed and sat on the edge. He reached for Annie's arm and brushed it slowly, bringing the mug and its fragrance close to her face "Walker, time to wake up" she smiled at the smell and at Auggie's voice, and then realized she was still wearing last night clothes. "Oh crap I need to go home and change"

She stormed out of the bed, and then realized he was holding her mug. She reached for it "Good morning. Sorry, hi Auggie"

He got up "Someone is a little anxious in the mornings, huh?" She stretched her neck, "Yeah, it's called a hangover. Where's your friend?" Auggie tilted his head towards the kitchen. "Hi Nella"

The other blonde waved at her drinking slowly from her own mug, checking something resembling an iPad. She looked worried all of the sudden. Annie walked closer to her "Is everything alright?"

The other agent nodded "Everything's fine. Augs, you think you can get me to talk to the boss?" Auggie got up and walked towards them. Annie spoke instead "I'm sure you have clearance to talk to Joan, I can go before and warn-"

"Warn about what? No need. Got this covered. Act normal, don't do anything stupid" Penelope didn't need Auggie's snort to know that Annie would _in fact_ do something very foolish unsupervised.

"Here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna go to your office. You are gonna stay with Auggie. I'll make a few calls and it'll be sorted in no time" Annie didn't like the feeling of briefing this whole situation had. It was too early, she had slept too little and her hangover was too much.

"With all due respect, you're not Joan Campbell" Auggie reached for Annie's arm. "I have the feeling you don't really listen to her anyway, so… Let me make this clear. Legal aid gal won't be at the office for another three hours, when she gets there, _if _she gets there, I'll intercept her with _other_ people. You make sure Auggie's with you. Augs, the boss?"

"I'll check the agenda, see if there's any gap" Annie frowned. This was bad, this was bad. "So you'll need clearance from Joan to make a move on the building?"

Nella raised her eyebrow, for a second she couldn't believe how clueless this agent could be. "I don't. I need to talk to someone else, and then to Arthur"

Annie clenched her teeth. _Arthur?_


End file.
